Outside the Gate

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Opening Prayer

Awesome God, so far beyond me and yet so close to me in Jesus, I come to be with You now.

Read Acts 3:1-10

^[1] One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer-at three in the afternoon. ^[2] Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ^[3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ^[4] Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ^[5] So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. ^[6] Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ^[7] Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ^[8] He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ^[9] When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ^[10] they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give You” (6). Reflect on what you have been given by your Heavenly Father.

Think Further

Luke has already explained that his first volume records the words and the deeds of Jesus (Acts 1:1,2). He now turns to evidence of Jesus’ continuing acts of mercy through his disciples. This brief story of healing contains two significant issues worthy of reflection: how it happened and where it happened.

First, how did it happen? Peter explains that his actions are carried out in the name of Jesus (6). True, Peter took him by the hand, but the healing power resided not in the apostles but in Jesus. This will become of critical significance in Peter’s defense before the religious leaders in the next section (Acts 4:7,10). It is always important for his disciples to affirm this truth: our compassionate acts of service, our proclamation of the Gospel, our engagement in prayer for healing or miraculous intervention are all dependent on the Lord, in whose name and by whose power we live our lives.

Second, where did it happen? This miracle takes place not in the temple courts but outside the gate (2). In this new era of the Spirit, God is at work in the market place, in the street, in the broken places of the world, and not just in religious institutions. That hardly needs to be said, I know, but some Christians get perilously close to imagining that God can only work in holy places or on sacred ground, that he can only be found in the ordered solemnity of formal religion. It’s not like that in the age of the Spirit. He blows where he wills. There are many “outside the gate” who need to experience the transforming power of the name of Jesus, and you and I are the ones who are called to speak and to act in his name.

Apply

Who do you know who is “outside the gate”? Pray that they will experience the power of Christ’s name.

Closing prayer

Spirit of God, I pray You will continue to work in me and through me. I want to see where You are working in the world and join You there.

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